Each component of air pollution was looked at separately and then the combined index in unadjusted models was examined. Next, fully adjusted multivariate Bayesian geoadditive regressions analyses were performed to look again for statistically significant correlations between these variables, but this time further controlling for any influence from age structure or social deprivation. Results selleck screening library Figures 1 and ​and22 display the observed data collected for this

study on maps using graduated colouring to represent data value categories within each ward. Figure 2 Warwickshire map displaying the 2010 levels of deprivation (expressed as Multiple Deprivation Scores) by LSOAs. Produced by the Warwickshire Observatory

(left) and Warwickshire map displaying the 2008 mid-year estimates of percentage of people over the … Observed air quality map Figure 1 (left) was produced using 2010 data from the Warwickshire Observatory. It is based on a combined air quality indicator, which is a combination of information about the contribution to air pollution from NOx, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and benzene. The Warwickshire Observatory description of this index reads as follows: Combined Air Quality Indicator (estimates of emissions for four pollutants: benzene, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and particulates) for small areas (modelled to 1 km grid squares) where an index value of 1 is equivalent to the national standard for each pollutant. The values are then summed so an overall score of 4 would represent all four pollutants being present at the national standard level.14 These specific standards are described in the Air Quality Standards

Regulations 2010. The geographical pattern of the observed air pollution across the county shows a higher level of air pollution near the more urban centres of Birmingham and Coventry. The proximity of parts of the county to motorways such as the M6 and M42 could also be a contributing factor to the observed pattern. There was no place in the county where the level of any pollutant exceeded the national standard in 2010. Heart failure hospital admission map Figure 1 (centre) shows the geographical distribution of the density of home addresses Batimastat of patients admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of heart failure (or exacerbation of heart failure) within the April 2005–April 2013 period. Heart failure mortality map Figure 1 (right) shows the geographical distribution of the density of home addresses of patients who died either directly or in part from heart failure in the 2007–2012 (inclusive) periods. Table 1 (left panel) displays posterior means of heart failure admission across the selected covariates following multivariate Bayesian geoadditive regression analyses.